1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of modular sleeping quarters typically used to accommodate traveling passengers and crew in transport modes with limited space availability. The present invention more specifically relates to the special needs, concerns, and constraints imposed for a sleeping berth in orbiting space structures or spacecraft.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
The use of modular sleeping quarters in conjunction with the transportation of passengers has a long and crowded field of art. Previously devised modular sleeping berths consist of a variety of structural configurations, designed and developed for the fulfillment of a number of objectives and requirements. In this respect, the present invention departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art. In so doing, the present invention provides a sleeping berth primarily developed to provide comfort and safety for its occupants while travelling in space.
The field of modular sleeping quarters, or sleeping berths, has a number of common denominators in the prior art. Among them is a generally fixed physical passenger space. The current technology, which exists on the space shuttle and the International Space Station, provides substantially the same standard berths. These berths have a fixed geometry, and curtains (or panels) for privacy. Sleeping restraints are provided in the form of sleeping bags attached to a padded board. These restraints keep the astronauts in place while sleeping, and provide a feeling of gravity that assists with sleeping comfort. In general, these berths are the same standard berths commonly found in ships, trains and other prior art designs.
The berths currently used on the space shuttle and the International Space Station fail to provide sufficient space, privacy and noise abatement for their occupants. As the duration of space missions increase, the need to retreat from the social collective will become increasingly important. Such a retreat will have to offer living quarters with significantly more space, privacy, and tranquility than that afforded by the currently available berths.
An improved sleeping berth is needed to accommodate the special needs and concerns aboard spacecraft. Such a berth, because of limited space availability, must be expandable when in use, and later when not in use, be retractable to conserve space. An improved sleeping berth is needed that functions environmentally like a private room when in use, and yet is compact and space efficient when not in use.
An improved sleeping berth for the transportation and accommodation of passengers and crew is needed for spacecraft. The present invention provides a collapsible sleeping berth that can be stowed in a compressed position, or extended to form a sleeping berth with significantly more living space.
In the preferred embodiments, the sleeping berth is principally formed by two housings, with an expandable member connected between the two housings. The expandable member may take the form of a bellows shaped bladder. Admitting fluid from a fluid source into the interior volume of the expandable member extends the expandable member. When inflated with pressurized gas (such as air) from a pressurized gas source, the expandable member extends and pushes the housings apart to form a much larger berth. In lieu of pressurized gas, any liquid (such as water) may be used to fill and extend the expandable member.
The berth""s fluid filled bladder provides several advantages in spacecraft applications. First, the bladder can be compressed to a fraction of its size, allowing the two housings to mate together into a very compact volume. When additional living space is desired, the bladder can be filled with air to provide substantial expansion of the living area with minimal increase in weight.
Another advantage of the fluid filled bladder is that it reduces the sound level within the berth, attenuating noise emanating from machinery and other activities aboard the spacecraft. The sound attenuation of the present invention provides a comfortable environment for living, working, and sleeping.
Yet another advantage of one of the embodiments is that the berth may form a single contiguous enclosure in the retracted position. This simplifies the transportation and relocation of the berth. The hard rigid outer shell of the retracted berth also protects the expandable member against puncture or other damage. The retracted berth may also provide a fire and smoke resistant safe haven. The hard fire resistant surfaces of the two mating housings completely enclose the passengers inside the berth, forming a barrier to resist smoke and fire intrusion.
Still another advantage is that when water is used as a fill fluid, the berth is transformed into a radiation shelter that can provide significant protection against normal space radiation and radiation emanating from solar events. To obtain the advantages of both the lightweight of the gas inflated member, and the radiation protection of the water fill fluid, the expandable member may be selectively fed from either a liquid or a gas source. This allows the present invention to use more easily manageable pressurized gas during normal use, and in the rare event of a solar storm, to use water for its shielding capability.
In one embodiment, the stationary housing may be permanently, or semi-permanently attached to hard mounting points, such as a wall, on the spacecraft. In an alternate embodiment, the berth is not permanently attached to the spacecraft. The advantage of the alternate embodiment is that in its retracted position, the berth may be easily stored anywhere on the spacecraft. When required, the berth is deployed to wherever it is needed as a stand-alone unit.
The above summary provides a general outline of the present invention, its construction, and operation. The following are some of the objects of the invention and its advantages.
An object of the present invention is to conserve space aboard the spacecraft when the berth is not in use. An associated object is that the present invention minimizes the size of the berth""s launch package, conserving space aboard the launch vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a berth with minimum weight to minimize launch costs. This is accomplished with the use of the pressurized bladder, which forms the majority of the berth""s structure when deployed.
Various embodiments of the present invention that accomplish these goals, and have other significant advantages over prior art sleeping berths have been described above. These objectives and improvements are obtained with a unique collapsible berth that provides maximum living space during use, and yet can collapse to a fraction of its extended size. This frees a substantial volume onboard the spacecraft for passengers to use during their waking hours for recreational activity, or by a crew for working space. The inflatable nature of the berth minimizes the weight of the berth, minimizing launch costs. The present invention, because of its transformable geometrical structure, can efficiently and effectively provide maximum useable living space with minimum impact on the mission capabilities of the spacecraft.